The invention relates to a windshield wiper arm and blade and, more particularly, to a connector assembly for connecting the arm to the blade.
There are many and diverse known types of arm to blade connectors. Some are similar to the connector assembly of the present invention. Improvements have been made in such connectors to lower the profile, to provide side mounting of the blade, and to simplify construction, and to simplify installation and removal of the blade while providing a firm, positive connection which precludes the arm from inadvertently being removed from the blade.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,576,044 to Besnard discloses an arm provided with a U-shaped outer end and an open ended slot in each leg of the end to engage a cross pin between the side walls of the wiper blade. A generally vertical, curved slot engages bosses formed internally on the side walls of the wiper blade for positive retention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,177,537 to Roadarnel discloses a connector assembly in which the end of the arm is provided with a slot to engage a cross pin on a wiper blade and includes resilient legs which in operative assembly with the arm engage the upper edges of the side walls of the blade to limit rotation. When the cross pin on the blade engages the slot the blade is rocked to an operative position and cannot be inadvertently rotated to the installation and removal position.
The Roadarnel patent suffers from the disadvantage that it cannot be used with a blade of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,127,912 to Deibel wherein a flat leaf spring spans the center lever of a plastic blade to interrupt the opening through which the arm tip in inserted. The connector disclosed by Besnard requires bosses formed on the plastic to effect positive retention. In a plastic blade the life of the bosses would be limited by the rubbing contact between the metal and the plastic.